Not only did I never consider my dad passing...

But what's weighing on my mind is that my mom decided to have him cremated. I asked her weeks ago while he was in hospice to see what he might wish for, but she didn't. And she said they'd never talked about it prior.
I understand many do it now more than ever , but it's just sad his body is truly not here. I get that even if buried, the body after many, many years will decompose anyway. But, it's just so final it seems, thinking of cremation. I have a few pictures of him in the hospital, before hospice, and one video during hospice..I'll treasure it always, to SEE my dad.😞💛

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pdqsailor1 · 61-69, M

I am of a religion that does not and has never permitted cremation though some contravene our laws and do it anyway... but its not our way..

Why? We hold that our bodies are loaned to us and our His property not ours... We take this a whole lot further than most people know.. when a boy is circumcised, his foreskin is buried, if a limb has to be amputated, it also is buried.. Taking care of our bodies is our responsibility. All of this for many good reasons but among them we hold that when the messiah arrives we shall be restored to life.. so yes those who believe take this all very seriously.

There have been plots reserved in our cemetery for us...

Baybreeze · 41-45, F

@pdqsailor1 It's not as much as his body is not in full as it was , to me, which I'm sad of course for that, but it's o feel this anxiety, if he wanted to be buried or not, we don't know.
If I were to be religious, I'd think it's now the soul and spirit alone that goes to the afterlife. The body will decompose completely over time, but I guess like someone said here, the body will return to the earth and each way is ok.

pdqsailor1 · 61-69, M

@Baybreeze Dust to dust, earth to earth.. is the phrase that is often recited at a funeral. What I am saying is the decision as to what the disposition of our remains is not supposed to be up to us.. its in higher hands.. We might presuppose that the body returns to nature in the grave... but those who do believe that resurrection to life is our fate and by our act of faith it is possible ... Well we pray for it, and those who follow us do so as well.. I just became a grandfather... and I attended our Grandson's circumcision.. His parents decided that I would be responsible to bury his foreskin... So I spoke to the president of the congregation who is also in charge of our cemetery to get his permission to handle this job there which of course he agreed to... Why there? Because no matter what happens to our homes etc the cemetery is and remains ours ... until the messiah decides to show up.. My Great Grandfather wanted to violate our laws and be cremated.. He said so... His wishes were NOT observed and he was properly buried.. as when my time comes I will be as well..